Like Your Own Sun
by Nelliephantt
Summary: Bella gives in to the heat, and to the heart, of her own personal sun. Set in New Moon after the cliff-dive.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N:** This took me a while to write actually, despite how short it is. Parts of this are taken from the film, not the book and those of you who know the mediums well will recognise the parts that are Stephenie Meyer and not me. Those of you who aren't obsessive fans; I hope you enjoy this anyway. I hope you all enjoy this :)  
**Title:**_ Like Your Own Sun._  
**Summary:** _Bella gives in to the heat, and the heart, of her own personal sun. Set in New Moon after the cliff-dive._  
**Warnings:**_ Tiny bit of Edward-bashing. If you blink you'll miss it._  
**Word Count:** _3,027._  
**Disclaimer:** _I do not own any of the characters involved in this story, Stephenie Meyer does. Hell, I barely even own the plot, haha._

* * *

Bella and Jacob had been dancing around each other for weeks now. Or rather, Bella had been doing the dancing. Jacob knew exactly how he felt about her, and as he had always said; he had loads of time, he promised her he wasn't going to give up. So when Bella's mind swam back into consciousness, the first sound she heard was Jacob calling her name.

"Come on, Bella, breathe," he muttered, the strain and fear evident in his voice. She gasped.

"Bella? Bella, can you hear me?" his voice grew slightly louder as shock laced through it. Bella's eyes fluttered open and the sight before her had her breath catching in her throat again. Jacob Black was literally enveloped around her, holding her as he tried valiantly and successfully to save her life. She gazed in to his deep, chocolate brown eyes, merely inches from her own, and everything suddenly fell into place, like the pieces of a puzzle slotting into place. She had been stupidly, risking her life nearly every day, trying to hold on to a fleeting, fragmented memory of Edward, when Jacob was right in front of her; real, alive and so in love with her.

"Jake, Jacob I-I'm so s-sorry," was all she could stammer out before her body was over wracked with coughing.

"Hey, shh, I've got you," Jacob soothed. He gently pulled her up to her feet and slowly helped her walk back to her truck. "I've got you," he repeated softly.

Once they had got back to the truck, Bella sat on the other side of the cab from Jacob so she could really look at him; the hard line of his jaw, the curve of his cheek bone, his full lips, his dark eyes, flickering as he watched the road, the line of his strong neck, curving to meet equally strong shoulders… Even as she sat there shivering, just to take in the form before her, she wanted to kick herself for not seeing it sooner. How could she possibly not be in love with him? Once again, Jacob's voice pulled her back in to the real world.

"It's 180 degrees over here," he chuckled as he noticed her still shivering. Unable to resist the proposition she slid over to him, sighing in content at the heat radiating from him. She closed her eyes and relished in the comfort.

"It must be nice, never getting cold," Bella said.

"It's a wolf thing," came Jacob's reply with a slight smirk on his lips.

"It's not, it's a Jacob thing. You're just warm, you're like your own personal sun." Bella's statement was greeted with silence. Jacob almost felt his heart stutter at her words. He had noticed that everything he did, or said, whether it was related to his wolfishness or not, was a 'Jacob thing'. Everything was so personal to him, to them, and it broke his heart just that little bit more that despite having created this little world around them, Bella still didn't feel the same as he did, Bella wanted to be friends, and he'd always give her what she wanted. Once he had pulled up outside her driveway, he cleared his throat to break the deafening silence.

"Is this better? Now that you know about me…" he asked awkwardly.

"But..?" Bella prompted. He almost smiled, tickled at how well she knew him, but he wanted to have a serious conversation.

"You saw what happened to Emily," Jacob began, his tone laced with warning. "Sam got angry, lost it for a split second, Em was standing too close. He'll never be able to take that back." He paused for a second, thinking the unbearable before he voiced it; "What if I got mad at you?" He stopped again, internally wincing at the violent images that flashed across his mind. There was a reason he had told her to go away in the beginning, he really was dangerous. He sighed loudly at his own thoughts. Why did he keep pulling her closer, only to have to push her away again, or watch as she pulled away from him? Fluctuating between man and wolf, slowly losing his identity; he couldn't let her sit around and watch him lose himself. "Sometimes I feel like I'm gonna disappear…" he muttered, mostly to himself. At this, he felt Bella shift to sit up straighter, turning his head he saw her looking directly at him with a determined look on her face. He blinked, twice, when he realised how close they were to each other. He could see the myriad of colours in her irises they were so close; yellows and tiny flecks of amber mixed in with the rich chocolate brown.

"Okay, not that you need me to tell you something like this," she began. A little smile played on her lips as if she could hear Jacob's mind screaming at her 'I'll always need you'. "But I always will," she continued, "You're not gonna lose yourself, I wouldn't let that happen."

"How?" Jacob's breath caught his in throat as they involuntarily leaned closer together.

"I'll tell you all the time, how special you are," she whispered, her breath fanning across his face as she spoke. The air between them grew thick with tension as they both knew this was it, this was the moment that would open up a multitude of new chapters in their lives, this was the moment that neither of them could take back once it had passed. As if this realisation spurred her on, Bella leaned forward, closing the small gap between them, and pressed her lips to Jacob's in a sweet, chaste kiss. The moment didn't last long, but it was enough. They'd had their first kiss. Bella answered Jacob's uncertain expression with a sweet smile; this was what she wanted.

"Bella, I-," Jacob stammered.

"Shh, no Jake, don't ruin this. I want this," she said. This confirmation as all he needed as he swept her up into another kiss, this time wrapping a hand around the nape of her neck and holding her to him, pouring all his love and adoration for her into the kiss. Bella pulled back for air before Jacob needed to, and he almost growled in protest until he saw the shy look on her face.

"What's wrong?" he asked.

"Nothing," she chuckled. "I'd just like to go home, now, okay?" She smiled a tiny smile. Jacob's returning expression confirmed that he was his own sun, their sun, as his smile lit his face up, like the sun's rays breaking through the clouds.

"Okay, let me walk you to your door."

The door of the cab was only open a handful of inches when the smell it him; that awful, sickening, saccharine sweet smell of… _vampires_.

"Wait," said Jacob, his instincts immediately taking over as he reached over to slam Bella's door closed again. "There's a vampire," he muttered, his voice laced with distaste.

"What? How do you know?" Bella asked.

"I can smell it," Jacob said through his teeth, barely keeping his features from twisting up in disgust. Bella paled, if it was Victoria… Fear threatened to overwhelm her as she contemplated Jacob having to face her alone.

"I'm getting you out of here," came Jacob's soft yet assertive voice. Bella barely heard him as her eyes darted frantically around her truck. She whipped round to look out of the back of the cab.

"That's Carlisle's car," she breathed, recognising the vehicle immediately. "They're here." Working on autopilot, she threw herself out of the cab, stumbling slightly as she rushed to get to her house, her anger pulsing through her veins as she realised _they were back_. After everything they'd put her through. Fear wracked Jacob's mind as he watched her run back to them, run back to _him_.

"Bella, it's a trick," he shouted. His feet barely touched the ground as he flew out of the cab, before he had a hand around her arm. "Stop, you've gotta come with me," he said once he'd pulled her around. Bella's face was still contorted with rage as he held on to her.

"They won't hurt me," said Bella, trying to twist her arm out of Jacob's grasp.

"Look, if a Cullen is back here this is their territory. The treaty says we can only defend on our own land," Jacob said trying to make her understand the danger of the situation. Seeing her expression turn to confusion, he softened his tone and almost pleaded with her. "I can't protect you here." As Jacob's words sank in, Bella's face relaxed into a smile, her body releasing the tension of anger immediately. Watching Jacob's eyes search hers for some kind of explanation as he became confused almost made her chuckle.

"Jake," she breathed, pulling her arm sharply from his grasp. When he made to grab for it again, she swung her hand up to meet his, clasping his hand in hers. "Of course you can." Still smiling she stretched up on her tiptoes to kiss his nose. "I'm not going back to them, to _him_, Jacob. I'm with you." She declared once she had pulled back to rest her feet back on solid ground, looking into his eyes. Jake breathed a dizzying sigh of relief. He dipped his head to kiss her lips briefly, before resting his forehead on hers he whispered to her.

"I thought…I thought I'd lost you again, Bells," his breath hitched in his throat when he thought of how Bella had nearly drowned earlier on in the day.

"It's okay," she whispered back. "I'm not going anywhere. You're stuck with me now," she added with a slight smile. Jacob chuckled quietly before capturing her lips with his in another kiss. A slow, spine-tingling kiss that had butterflies flapping in his tummy as he revelled in the euphoric realisation that it was _finally_ okay to do this, to hold and kiss her. A lot sooner than he would have liked to however, he felt Bella pull away. He snapped his eyes open to look at her, and saw a shy smile curving the corners of her lips.

"Come on," she breathed, tugging his hand a little. "I don't want to face this alone." Jake didn't need to be told twice. Technically the treaty did say he couldn't protect her on the Cullens' land, but right now he didn't care. Therefore the two of them, hand in hand, ascended the stairs to Bella's house, to whatever was waiting inside.


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N:** _I'm sorry it took me so long to get this up; I had to rewrite it. The first draft as I'll now call it was good but fall of flaws and whilst I know this isn't flawless, it's a lot better. Disclaimers, warnings and the summary are all up in the first chapter. The word count is wrong now because chapter 2 is longer than originally planned. However, here we have it; Like Your Own Sun, chapter 2. This is the second and final chapter LYOS; enjoy! :)_

* * *

Jacob tensed beside Bella as the smell got even worse, and as soon as Bella turned on the light switch, he found the reason why.

"Edward?" Bella gasped. The vampire was stood leaning against the stairs, as if trying to appear nonchalant, but Jacob could see his tense stature. He was impeccably dressed as always; dark jeans, slate coloured button down shirt with the sleeves rolled up, and dark shoes, but the _leech_ himself looked awful. His usually perfectly coiffed hair was an untidy mop which had clearly had hands running through it, and there were dark circles under his eyes as if he hadn't slept for days. Jacob nearly chuckled at the irony.

"Bella," Edward replied, his voice rough, as he took a step forward. It was then that he seemed to notice Jacob, as his eyes flashed down to their clasped hands, his body tensing again. Realisation struck his face. "Bella, I-"

"What do you want, Edward? Why are you here?" Bella asked. Jacob was shocked at the strength in her voice. The person that had snatched her heart out of her chest, ripped it to shreds and then forced all the tiny shards back into her body, was standing only a handful of feet away from her, and her voice didn't waver. At this, he felt a sense of pride blossoming in his chest as well as a stab of smugness towards Edward. Dismissing Bella's questions, Edward addressed Jacob.

"Can I speak with Bella alone for a minute, please?" he asked. Jacob felt that smugness soar and roll off of himself in waves as the bloodsucker felt the need to ask his permission. Damn straight.

"No," Bella said defensively. "Anything you need to say to me can be said in front of him. I won't let you manipulate -"

"Bells, it's fine." Jacob cut her off, ignoring her incredulous expression as her face swung round to look at him. "I'll be right in the sitting room, eavesdropping." He smiled, at least the bloodsucker could imagine it was a private conversation.

"Actually, Jacob, would you mind if we took the sitting room? I'd like to be sitting down when Bella tells me she's moved on from me." Edward asked quietly, the pain of his loss evident in his eyes. Jacob's face scrunched up slightly in confusion, because surely…

"Yes, I can hear the details in your head, but I'd like to hear it from her; if that's okay." Jacob could see the vampire's composure slipping. As much as he wanted to pull Bella away from him, to drive her straight back to La Push, the bigger person in him obliged with a silent nod. He pulled Bella into a tight hug and kissed the top of her head, taking a second to breathe in the warm scent of her.

"I'll be right in here, okay," he murmured before releasing her. He glanced over at Edward to give him a pointed look and saw his face twisted in pain. _Good_, he thought sadistically. By the time Bella looked up at him, Edward had rearranged his features into a tight smile.

"After you," he offered, gesturing into the living room and Jacob watched as the foul creature followed Bella into the sitting room. He leant against the wall opposite the archway, ready to watch every movement, and listen to every single word, from both of them.

* * *

Bella sat down first, not willing to break the silence between them. She worried the hem of the jacket she was wearing, Jacob's jacket, as Edward stared intently at her, refusing to meet his gaze. Finally, it was the vampire that broke the silence stretching between them.

"What are you thinking?" He asked softly. Bella's head snapped up at this, at the silky smooth voice he used, out of shock more than anything.

"Actually, I was wondering why you're here. What have you come back for?" she answered. She wouldn't give in to him, not after everything. "You said it would be like you had never existed, so Edward, what are you doing here?" she barely even registered that after all those months of pining and living as a shell of herself she was able to say his name without internally wincing. Jacob really had filled that void. Edward, shifted as if he was uncomfortable – one of the many human traits he had coerced into his personality since being with Bella - he hadn't expected this reaction, Bella's question thoroughly unnerved him. Having said that, although he didn't expect her to welcome him with open arms, he had underestimated the threat of the pack of wolves which had been forming in the distance. He hadn't expected them to attack so close to his heart.

"Alice saw you jump off that cliff and she didn't see you come back up. I just needed to know…" he tapered off as he reached out to touch her hand. Bella flinched, drawing her hand back. She could've swore she heard Jacob growl in the background. She almost wanted to shake her head fondly.

"Well," Bella paused as she cleared her throat. "I'm fine. You can go now." Her gaze dropped to her sleeve once more, she didn't want to see whatever emotions would be flickering in eyes; hurt, relief, whatever. She was finally happy with Jacob but her love for Edward hadn't just diminished overnight, and it wouldn't. Bella knew it would take a long time to stop double-taking whenever she saw a particularly pale person in the street, or when she saw a Volvo streaking past on the highway, but she'd make damn sure that she'd try; both for her and for Jacob. Either way, she didn't want whatever emotion on Edward's face to give her any room for doubt.

"Are you sure, Bella?" Edward's voice was tight as he asked, filled with hurt. Bella's resistance was futile as she lifted her head pained expression across his face was worse than she had imagined. But this was his fault. He had pushed her away, he had left without her, he had said he didn't love her anymore.

"Yes," she stated quietly but firmly, "definitely." Despite her declaration, Edward reached out again, further this time, but was halted in his tracks by a big, tan hand suddenly blocking his way.

"I think you should leave," Jacob all but growled. His breathing was laboured as if he was waging a war against his one instinct that told him to attack and his other instinct that told him not to hurt Bella. The girl in question physically shrank back behind Jacob, shielding herself from Edward; she was done with him.

Edward admitted defeat at this and turned to leave. Upon reaching the door he paused for a fraction of a second, and before his rational mind could correct him, he tried one more time.

"Bella, do you know what he could do to you if he lost his temper?" He asked her, his voice still tight.

"Edward," she sighed as if he was lecturing her. "It's not anything worse than what you could have done to me. Besides, he'd never hurt me. I want to be with him. I _am_ with him. So please, just go." She insisted, carefully avoiding the fact that Jacob's posture had fallen into one of a loose fighting stance. If Edward didn't leave soon, things were bound to get ugly. However as soon as she had finished the train of thought, Edward was no longer standing there. It was as if he'd vanished into thin air. The tell-tale sound of a car engine and the tyres squealing as the driver over-revved said otherwise. Edward had left. He was out of her life for good.

* * *

Once Jacob was satisfied that the leech had left, he relaxed out of his crouch.

"Bells, are you okay?" He asked her, eyes flickering around her face frantically as if looking for somewhere that the bloodsucker could have hurt her without him noticing. He was also avoiding looking her in the eye, just in case there was any regret there. But she wouldn't have sent him away if she wanted him, right?

"Yes, Jake, I'm fine," she breathed, all the tension gone from her voice. He finally dared it, and to his initial surprise the expression he saw was exhaustion.

"God Bells, you need some sleep," with that he wasted no time in scooping Bella in his arms in a bridal lift.

"Jake!" Bella squealed. "Jacob, what are you doing?" Jacob chuckled at her reaction.

"Relax, Bells, you look dead on your feet, I don't want you passing out on me halfway up the stairs." He chuckled again. Upon hearing this, Bella relaxed. She slung her arms around his neck, nestling her face in the juncture between his shoulder blade and his neck. It wasn't until she was snuggled down in bed with Jacob sat next to her that she voiced the question she had been pondering since Edward had spoken to her.

"Will you stay?" she asked in a quiet voice.

"Do you want me to?" he asked in an equally quiet whisper.

"Of course I do," she replied, entwining her fingers with his.

"But what about Charlie?" he didn't question the amount of shotguns and rifles the police chief had in his home and he definitely did not want to be on the receiving end of any of them. To his surprised, however, Bella chuckled.

"Actually, I think he'll be glad we finally got together," she told him with a smile in her voice.

"Oh, okay then…Do you want me to…?" he gestured towards Bella's comforter.

"Yeah, get in." she smiled timidly. Jake knew he'd sweat an obscene amount if he stayed fully clothed under all the blankets, but he knew better than to voice his worries. He finally, _finally_, had Bella wrapped up in her arms, and he was not about to ruin that.

"Goodnight, Bells," he whispered, placing a kiss on her forehead. She snuggled closer in his embrace.

"Goodnight Jake," she mumbled, voice heavy with sleep.


End file.
